Improvement in toy houses



S. I. RUSSELL.

Toy House.

No. 220,429. Patented Oct. 7,1879.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL I. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOY HOUSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,429, dated October7, 1879 application filed October 7, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL I. RUssELL,

of the city of Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in .Toy Houses, of which the following is afull description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view; Fig. 2, an end viewof the parts folded; Fig. 3, a detail, being a section of the partshown, taken at .r of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows an elevationand an end Viewof one part of the coupling used at one corner. Fig. 5 is an elevationof the other portion of such coupling. In both Figs. 4 and 5 the partsof the coupling are connected to the frame or body.

The object of my invention is to provide a light, portable, and cheapplay house for children, made in sections, so hinged and connected thatthe same can be readily set up for use, whether in the house or on alawn, and when not in use can be easily taken down and folded together,so as to occupy but little room.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is intended to represent such a house, the endsand sides of which, as well as the two sides of the roof, are made fromthin slats or strips of tough wood, woven together like basket-work.Each part, after the slats or strips forming the same have been woventogether, is bound around the edges with thin narrow strips of toughwood placed on opposite sides of the basket-work and secured withclinch-nails.

The ends and sides of the body are hinged together, so that they can befolded together, and the two parts of the roof are also hinged and canbe folded, as shown in Fig. 2;

When the body is set up for use, the two parts at the open corner are tobe secured together. A suitable device for this is afterward described;

It is important that the roof be in some way connected with the body, sothat it cannot be easily displaced, and yet can be readily removed,which I accomplish as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, a to represent thin pieces of wood woven together. I)are strips of thin wood around the edges of each section or part of thehouse, and on both sides of each section, forming a firm binding, beingheld by clinch-nails.

A A are the two end pieces. B B are the two sides. 0 O are the two partsof the roof. The end A is hinged to the side B, and the side B and end Aare hinged together, and the end A and side B are hinged together, sothat they can be folded, as shown in Fig. 2, while the two parts of theroof are hinged together and can be folded.

In this Fig. 2 the parts are shown a little distance apart at theirunhinged ends, for con venience.

At the apex of the gable of each end a piece of metal, 0, preferablyflat at the lower end and round at the upper end, is secured. Itprojects about two inches above the roof, and the roof is provided withtwo openings or holes at the peak, through which the irons 0 pass.

By this means the root can be put on and taken oft in a moment, and whenin place it will be held in position, and will aid in keep ing the bodyin place.

At one corner of the body there are no hinges; but I hold the two partstogether at this corner, when in use, by means of pieces of strap-iron dd, two of which may be used upon each part. As shown, the pieces 61,secured to the end, are notched on the upper side, and the two d,secured to the side, are notched on the under side. at and d can behooked together, and will thus secure the open corner when in use, asshown in Fig. 1. e is a door.

The play-houses may be small or large. I think it best to make them,say, about three feet square and about three feet high. In a play-houseof this size children can enter with a number of playthings.

When not in use, the house can be folded, and will occupy but littleroom.

I do not confine myself to the exact construction shown, as a lightframe might be made for each section or part.

A A B B, of interlaced basket-splints, and hinged together for folding,and a detachable roof, all substantially as specified.

2. The gabled ends A A and sides B B, in combination with the projectingpins 0 a and folding roof 0 C, substantially as described.

SAMUEL I. RUSSELL.

'itnesses:

0. W. BOND, E. A. WEST.

Univ-s.

